The U.S. Air Force has confirmed that the crew of a B-52H Stratofortress involved in a near-miss with a civilian airliner last week near Minot International Airport was never informed that a commercial aircraft was in the area.

The incident, which occurred the evening of July 18, involved SkyWest Airlines flight 3788, a passenger jet on final approach to land at the North Dakota airport.

According to the Air Force, the B-52 crew had been in regular contact with air traffic control and had clearly communicated their intentions to fly over the North Dakota State Fairgrounds—a flyover that had been planned, approved by the FAA, and coordinated with multiple air traffic agencies, including the airport tower and Minot Air Force Base’s Radar Approach Control, or RAPCON.

Despite this coordination, the situation became tense as the SkyWest jet approached the airport unaware of the B-52’s presence. In a video taken by a passenger on the flight, the SkyWest pilot can be heard explaining the close call shortly after the aircraft landed safely.

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“Nobody told us about” the B-52 in the area, the pilot told passengers.

“There’s no radar here. The tower does everything visually. … This is not normal at all, I don’t know why they didn’t give us a heads up, because the Air Force base does have radar, and nobody said, ‘Hey, there’s also a B-52 in the pattern.’”

The pilot’s remarks, shared widely online, quickly sparked concern over how such a near-collision could occur during what should have been a well-coordinated military event.

The B-52 flyover was scheduled to take place during the North Dakota State Fair, a major local event that routinely draws thousands of attendees and often includes ceremonial military flights.

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Minot Air Force Base issued a statement on the evening of Monday, July 22, providing a timeline of the B-52’s communication with air traffic authorities.

According to the Air Force, the bomber contacted RAPCON at approximately 7:10 p.m. to initiate preparations for the fairgrounds flyover.

While in a holding pattern 12 miles east of the target site, the crew notified both RAPCON and the airport’s air traffic control tower of their plans.

By 7:40 p.m., the B-52 informed RAPCON that it was proceeding to the fairgrounds, located about two miles southeast of Minot International Airport.

RAPCON responded by instructing the crew to switch over to the airport control tower frequency at 7:43 p.m.—a standard protocol when military aircraft enter certain classes of airspace.

The B-52 crew complied and received instructions from the tower to fly two miles westbound after the flyover was completed.

The flyover occurred at 7:50 p.m. as scheduled. After the maneuver, the B-52 followed its clearance to fly west, thereby clearing the airspace near the airport before returning to Minot Air Force Base.

At no point, however, was the crew advised by air traffic controllers that a civilian airliner was on final approach to the same airfield.

The Air Force emphasized that although communication protocols were followed on their end, the lack of notification regarding the incoming passenger jet remains a critical issue.

Both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and SkyWest Airlines have launched investigations into the incident.

“The safety of all air operations—military and civilian—is paramount,” the Air Force said in its statement.

“We are fully cooperating with the FAA to review this event and determine what steps can be taken to prevent similar situations in the future.”

SkyWest Airlines also confirmed that they are conducting an internal review of the incident and have pledged to support the FAA’s investigation.

The episode underscores the complexity and risks of shared airspace operations, particularly in regions where both military and civilian flights are common.

Minot International Airport lies in close proximity to Minot Air Force Base, home to some of the nation’s most strategic aerial assets, including the B-52H Stratofortress.

As federal agencies examine the incident, questions remain about communication breakdowns and whether procedural lapses contributed to the near-miss.

While both aircraft landed safely and no injuries were reported, the event highlights how critical coordination and timely information-sharing are to ensuring aviation safety for both passengers and military personnel.

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